A horse’s skin covers an extensive surface area, making dermatological issues highly visible. However, while these problems are easy to spot, determining their root cause can be challenging. To provide expert insight into equine skin health, we collaborated with Dr. Stephen White, DACVD, a professor and chief of the Dermatology Service at UC Davis Veterinary Hospital.

If there’s one word that strikes fear into the hearts and minds of horse owners, it’s “colic.” Used to describe any form of abdominal pain, colic can affect horses for many reasons and in any season, although cold weather months are a particularly challenging time with increased risk of impaction-related colic.

In Canada, professionals who offer equine massage, equine chiropractic, farriery, and equine homeopathy who are not veterinarians may unintentionally be practicing veterinary medicine, which could be against provincial laws. There is a lack of oversight due to few regulations governing the training, certification, and qualifications of these types of service providers. Moreover, provincial veterinary associations typically only intervene when a complaint is filed by a horse owner. As a result, individuals can easily market themselves as qualified to offer these services, even without the necessary expertise, leaving vulnerable horse owners to "learn the hard way" when choosing a provider.

Vitamin E deficiency can lead to distinct health conditions; Shivers can occur in the front limbs, but only if the hind legs are also affected; A horse’s brain weighs 1.5 pounds, but is still one of the largest brains among land mammals...